Alternative Food Networks: Knowledge, Practice, and Politics (Routledge Studies of Gastronomy, Food and Drink)

Farmers’ markets, veggie boxes, local foods, organic products and Fair Trade goods – how have these once novel, "alternative" foods, and the people and networks supporting them, become increasingly familiar features of everyday consumption? Are the visions of "alternative worlds" built on ethics of sustainability, social justice, animal welfare and the aesthetic values of local food cultures and traditional crafts still credible now that these foods crowd supermarket shelves and other "mainstream" shopping outlets? This timely book provides a critical review of the growth of alternative food networks and their struggle to defend their ethical and aesthetic values against the standardizing pressures of the corporate mainstream with its "placeless and nameless" global supply networks. It explores how these alternative movements are "making a difference" and their possible role as fears of global climate change and food insecurity intensify. It assesses the different experiences of these networks in three major arenas of food activism and politics: Britain and Western Europe, the United States, and the global Fair Trade economy. This comparative perspective runs throughout the book to fully explore the progressive erosion of the interface between alternative and mainstream food provisioning. As the era of "cheap food" draws to a close, analysis of the limitations of market-based social change and the future of alternative food economies and localist food politics place this book at the cutting-edge of the field. The book is thoroughly informed by contemporary social theory and interdisciplinary social scientific scholarship, formulates an integrative social practice framework to understand alternative food production-consumption, and offers a unique geographical reach in its case studies. Farmers' Markets, Veggie Boxes, Local Foods, Organic Products And Fair Trade Goods - How Have These Once Novel, Alternative Foods And The People And Networks Supporting Them Become Increasingly Familiar Features Of Everyday Consumption? Are The Visions Of Alternative Worlds Built On Ethics Of Sustainability, Social Justice, Animal Welfare And The Aesthetic Values Of Local Food Cultures And Traditional Crafts Still Credible Now That These Foods Crowd Supermarket Shelves And Other Mainstream Shopping Outlets? This Timely Book Provides A Critical Review Of The Growth Of Alternative Food Networks And Their Struggle To Defend Their Ethical And Aesthetic Values Against The Standardising Pressures Of The Corporate Mainstream With Its Placeless And Nameless Global Supply Networks. It Explores How These Alternative Movements Are Making A Difference And Their Possible Role As Fears Of Global Climate Change And Food Insecurity Intensify. It Assesses The Different Positions Around These Networks From Three Major Arenas Of Food Activism And Politics: Britain And Western Europe, The United States, And The Global Fair Trade Economy. This Comparative Perspective Runs Throughout The Book To Fully Explore The Progressive Erosion Of The Interface Between Alternative And Mainstream Food Provisioning. As The Era Of Cheap Food Draws To A Close, Analysis Of The Limitations Of Market-based Social Change And The Future Of Alternative Food Economies And Localist Food Politics Place This Book At The Cutting-edge Of The Field-- Alternative Food Networks: Reflexivity And Shared Knowledge Practice -- Introducing Alternative Food Networks, Fair Trade Circuits And The Politics Of Food -- Coming Home To Eat? Reflexive Localism And Just Food -- Bridging Production And Consumption: Alternative Food Networks As Shared Knowledge Practice -- Alternative Food Provisioning In The Uk And Western Europe: Introduction And Antecedents -- Rival Europe Redux? The New Territoriality And Rural Development -- Into The Mainstream: The Politics Of Quality -- Changing Paradigms? Food Security Debates And Grassroots Food Re-localization Movements In The Uk And Western Europe -- Alternative Food Movements In The Usa: Formative Years, Mainstreaming, Civic Governance, And Knowing Sustainability -- Broken Promises? Us Alternative Food Movements, Origins, And Debates -- Resisting Mainstreaming, Maintaining Alterity -- Sustainable Agriculture As Knowing And Growing -- Globalizing Alternative Food Movements: The Cultural Material Politics Of Fair Trade -- The Shifting Cultural Politics Of Fair Trade: From Transparent To Virtual Livelihoods -- The Price And Practices Of Quality: The Shifting Materialities Of Fair Trade Networks -- The Practices And Politics Of A Globalized Afn: Whither The Possibilities And Problematics Of Fair Trade? -- Concluding Thoughts. David Goodman, E. Melanie Dupuis, And Michael K. Goodman. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Alternative Food Networks: Knowledge, practice, and politics 4 Copyright 5 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 List of abbreviations 12 PART I Alternative food networks: reflexivity and shared knowledge practice 14 1 Introducing alternative food networks, fair trade circuits and the politics of food 16 2 Coming home to eat? Reflexive localism and just food 24 3 Bridging production and consumption: alternative food networks as shared knowledge practice 46 PART II Alternative food provisioning in the UK and Western Europe: introduction and antecedents 68 4 Rural Europe redux? The new territoriality and rural development 78 5 Into the mainstream: the politics of quality 98 6 Changing paradigms? Food security debates and grassroots food re-localization movements in the UK and Western Europe 118 PART III Alternative food movements in the USA: formative years, mainstreaming, civic governance, and knowing sustainability 142 7 Broken promises? US alternative food movements, origins, and debates 144 8 Resisting mainstreaming, maintaining alterity 168 9 Sustainable agriculture as knowing and growing 187 PART IV Globalizing alternative food movements: the cultural material politics of fair trade 208 10 The shifting cultural politics of fair trade: from transparent to virtual livelihoods 216 11 The price and practices of quality: the shifting materialities of fair trade networks 235 12 The practices and politics of a globalized AFN: whither the possibilities and problematics of fair trade? 247 13 Concluding thoughts 258 Notes 263 References 272 Index 311